"PLAY THE GAME" queen

Big weekend in football. Will it be Denver or Seattle in the "big" game?  Really in the long run I'm neither a fan of either team and could careless who wins. Lets play it in an open air northern city. What next the Rose Bowl played in International Falls MN. A good lesson how money talks.

On one side we have a great quarterback coming back from a possible career ending injury, with the chance of being the first quarterback to win this game for two different teams.

On the other side of the ball we have an upstart cornerback that shows little respect for opposing players or anyone else for that matter. Just a short note here. The 49er quarterback threw into double coverage. I remember at Smith in coverage along with a Sherman. If that ball had an extra foot under it  might have been a different ending and if Smith hadn't caught the ball Seattle might have had another chance to score.

Now the real reason for watching the game the 30 second ads. I cheated I have already watched them all. The success of the ads depends on three things kids, puppies, or great looking women. Maybe not in that order. Along with keeping it simple.

Also expect an alpaca, Arnold and some other surprises. A bear selling yogurt? What's a Doberuahua? Chevys interesting ad to sell a truck?

My feeling is Budweiser hit another home-run. What an interesting way to sell beer?

"FREEZE FRAME" j geils

It's so cold I'm watching the golf channel to try to remember what warm weather even looks like.

I'm going out on a limb here to see what you agree or disagree with me on this subject.

School calamity days.

Recently as last year Governor Kasich increased calamity days from three to five days. ( at that time he called them extra sledding days) Now he is looking for the state legislators to increase this amount. Reminding us that student safety is our number one priority. I agree 100% with that goal. He also sights this weather "wrecks havoc on school budgets and schedules" I don't agree with that. Maybe the governor has forgotten or never had to provide child care on a "calamity day" for a child or children not going to school as in this case four straight days? That can wreck havoc on a family budget  even missing work? also added expense.

Look teachers sign 185 day contracts, students are scheduled 180 days. Five calamity days are enough the school year should have to at least include 175 days, but then maybe our students don't need this amount of education? I understand teachers are under contract but if you don't want to add days at the end of the year, and Saturdays or add an hour to the school day to make-up for missed time. What are we teaching students on the importance of an education.

Do the bus drivers, cafeteria workers, night janitorial staff get paid for calamity days? Look my taxes never give me a spot to check off  for calamity days? Should the taxpayers ask for a rebate for services not delivered?

Just want to know what your thoughts are on this issue.

"THE BITCH IS BACK" elton john

Yeh, rejuvenated from my winter tour of both hospitals in the county. What a start of the year.

Back in the saddle again, and after much thought I could careless if some of you don't agree with me.

First day back, the city greets me with "Speaking of Painesville" Vol.6 No.4

Painesville Municipal Electric Plant wins the 2013 AMP Public Power Promotion Award for their  125th Anniversary Celebration "Party at the Plant" Great, not an award for efficiency, modernization, or improvement? but for a party at a place that no longer serves it's purpose. Be proud Painesville more lipstick for the pig.

Can't wait for Streetscape? Wonder what impact the snowfall this week would have had on the 1.4 million dollar folly?

Viewed the council meeting. One plus that came out of the organizational meeting is that visitor section will returns to the beginning of the meeting.

Does anyone understand what Council-at-Large Lori DiNallo  position is? Seems a desire to be liked. A hint the draft of the letter in it's present form will never pass council. What responsibility will be asked of the illegal population? Let bygones be bygones? Mrs. DiNallo your mistake was the same as Mr. Horvath. Veronica Dahlberg, she has never been an honest broker. Are we looking to the future again?

Mrs. DiNallo didn't want to send a letter to the Ohio Attorney General on AMP-OHIO due to the fact she didn't want to speak for others, remember? Yet now who is council speaking for?

The one other statement I remember was when speaking of the snow parking ban was the statement, "we must gather more data" Bull. You want to gather data?  Ride shotgun in a city plow vehicle as it tries to maneuver Painesville streets to plow.

$5.00 for a ticket? Someone on council should ask the Police Chief what it costs his department and the administration to process a ticket? A couple of $100.00 tickets, the word gets out and the problem solved.

Still having trouble figuring out the citys AMP-OHIO invoice. I have been under the understanding that the power rate has been left flat, and any increases over and above are included in the "power factor". Are the levelizations costs included in the "power factor" or where does that money come from.

Well anyone interested in finding that and other answers should attend Andy Flocks Town Hall Meeting this coming Thursday at Elm St. Elementary School. Sandy Buchanan representing IEEFA
will be in attendance along with city officials from Cleveland, Galion, and Bowling Green, Ohio.
We might all "gather data" Thursday evening.

A little bird informed me about more bad news for the Painesville area. Promised not to reveal it until around the middle of February.

"TAKE THIS JOB AND SHOVE IT" johnny paycheck

 It has just been  confirmed that one soul has lost their life in the early morning fire in Painesville. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the victim.

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Let's talk about jobs,

A recent report claimed more than 50% of all jobs in this country pay $11.00 or less. This is an interesting fact as it appears the United States is suffering from income inequality. This fact and you wonder why everyone is under some kind off government assistance? Walmart make Bllions and our government subsidies their workers?

I'll be the first to admit I have no idea how trinkle down economics as well as all ship  rise capitalism works... Because it doesn't.

Now another interesting fact. The Republican Congress under the leadership of John Boehner has scheduled 112 working days for 2014?  Only 92 before election day this November. What exactly do you believe will be accomplished this year?

These people make $170,000 plus benefits and a healthy staff allowance yet they see no need to help 9:08's husband and family out. Am I to believe only Democrats are receiving unemployment benefits?

The Congress "Might"bring this to the floor if we offset the cost of the payments, Odd when President Bush extended it when unemployment was only over 5% no demand such as this was made.

I was presently surprised that six Republican Senators thought enough of some of these people to vote to extend unemployment benefits. Including our own Republican senator Rob Portmann.

Recently even Rand Paul walked back his statement on unemployment, maybe it's starting to sink in?

What this country needs presently is a job's program. The infrastructure of this country is falling apart and people would rather have a job than a handout.

112 days of work? Let's lock Congress, the Senate as well as the President in a room and one one goes anywhere until we agree on a jobs program.

Presently the job presently being done well you can shove it!

"IT'S COLD OUTSIDE" choir

Yes it was cold outside and there seemed to be a chill in the room during the organizational meeting. As predicted Paul Hach assumed the position of council-president without an executive meeting. When the nomination for council vice president Lori DiNallo was put on the table, councilman Fodor asked to go to executive session?

After twenty minutes council returned and voted for Mrs. DiNallo as council vice-president. ( It would have been interesting to be a fly on that wall.)

Congratulations to both of the new leaders of council.

Council put on third reading what the verbiage of an  "unoccupied" property was. This has more to do with business property than that empty house sitting next to you.

City Manager Carson reminded resident's of the street parking ban when two inches of snow is on the ground. That said until the city makes an EXPENSIVE example of afew vehicles in all four wards the snowplow drivers will just have to do the best avoiding them.

Residents  in the Cedarbrook area WARD III councilman DeLeone mentioned that he has talked to Atwell's and the owner is presently looking into a sound deadening solution to the noise. Mike your on the clock, can we expect results by July?

Council discussed Immigration, with councilman Flock bringing up the letter council-president Horvath sent to Senator DeWine years ago. Just a wild guess but I understand Mrs. DiNallo wanting to respond to city constituents, but I see this headed into a dead end. The present draft of the letter doesn't even include any kind of border security.

On a side note the traffic light at Richmond and Erie Street's has been out since last night, The city has wisely made it a four-way stop.

"COUNCIL MEETING 01/06/14

Well the first council meeting will take place hopefully tonight. swearing in, council organization, and the council meeting. Lets welcome Mr. Fitzgerald to the fold.

It will seem odd not seeing councilman Hada on council.

Just when I thought we had enough with definitions, tonight's council will try to establish what the word "UNOCCUPIED" means when it comes to vacant property and building registration.

We will also vote to sell items online as an auction.

Immigration will be brought up as well as Prairie State Energy Campus. I believe Councilman Flock wants to hear the amount of "levelization costs" since August. How much how and where are the funds coming from to pay these costs.

"THE MAN" aloe blacc

Aloe Blacc, with a little help from Elton John.

In Saturdays News-Herald John Arthur Hutchison's political column. It seems our Congressman in the Ohio 14th district David Joyce is being  challenged in the primary by Lake County Tea Party co-founder, coordinator and community organizer Republican Chuck Laughlin of Painesville Township.

In the past when a challenge came from the same party it was viewed many times as just a token challenge. Either Democrat or Republican. The difference this time is being challenged by a well organized candidate.

On another note Democrats have chosen this seat as one that they might pick-up. The question is how much money can Mr. Laughlin raise and how far to the right Congressman Joyce will go.

The establishment money will go to Joyce but will the Tea Partier's followers come up with  sufficient cash?

Having met Mr..Laughlin at a Tea Party Rally, he was pleasant but I had to question what a County Recorder view on a U.N. resolution had anything to do with their job?
Mr. Laughlin appears to be a strict Constitutionalists with very little room for compromise. This might be enough to win a primary with just a small sliver of the party voting.

This along with the fact Mr. Laughlin has close ties with the Lake County Republican Party. This might strain relationships?

I believe it will be an interesting campaign and people will see first hand how the sausage is made.
Wonder if any Dem's will vote GOP in the primary?

Either way this will be great theater!

"CAN'T TOUCH THIS" m.c. hammer

I have sat at council meetings in Painesville and have watched constantly as the administration comes up with "new" ordinances.

The last one was the Painesville definition of a family. After everything was said and done do any of you now know what the definition is?

We have an ordinance that after 30 days curtains not sheets must be up in windows. How much of your front lawn can be used for parking. Yet I see houses wrapped in plastic like a boat for the winter?

Someone mentioned the parking ban when snowfall exceeds two inches, how well is that one being enforced?

Noise ordinance? Try living around Atwell's on Chestnut St. Southside of Painesville sounds like downtown Kandahar.  You could kill someone and nobody would even flinch at the gunfire. Want to gamble? Go next door to Chestnut Food Mart... two gambling machines.

None of these different ordinances are being enforced and only on the books to intimidate citizens if the city sees the need. My solution -get rid of them all. Why make people wait until 5:00 pm Friday to do what they want without any paper work for building permits?

We could sell our city as a truly open city. The only law  well you decide.